Humidifier



March 8, 1932. I t c. T. KENNEDY ET AL HUMIDIFIER Filed April 10. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTORJ:

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Patented 8, "1932 I UNITED STATES-PA NT OFF C cnmns r. xnnnnnir AND cams w. vnimmanx, or am. PAUL, MINNESOTA mmmmmn application mada -11 1o, 1980.1 -8erlal in. 443,150.

Our invention relates to a moist air gen-f The headers 15 and 16 form respectively erator and circulating device for use parv.ticularly in buildings heated by hot water, steam, or vapor, or where a continuous flow 56f hot water or steam is available.

The main object is to provide a simple and highly eflicient air moistening device or humidifier providing ample moist air, easily k regulated according to requirements, as here-f inafter fully set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which,

' 7 Fig. 1 is an elevation of a hot water plant I k with our humidifying device inoperative connectlon, also showing in cross section two rooms heatedby said furnace and-certain air circulating ducts. The device may be similarly connected to any heating plant where flow of hot water or steam is available,

a hot water plant having been shown for illustrative purposes only. I Fig. 2 is an enlargedyertically sectional elevation of our air moistener device, the sectional plane being assumed to be near the front wall of the device through its vertical water conductor tubes.. Fig. '3 is a transverse sectional view of our device taken on a horizontal plane through its upper part about as on line 3-3 in Fig. 2. t

A Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, we have illustrated our device in operative combination with a hot-water heating plant designated 5, set up on a basement floor 6. 7 and 8 are two rooms above said furnace 5 and separated by awall'. 9. 10 is the hot I water outlet pipe from the furnace and shownconnected to a radiator 11 in room 7. 12 are the usual return water pipes from the various radiators and connected to a single down pipe 13 normally leading directly as at 14 7 into the lower part of the furnace.

Our device comprises a vertical box-like structure with'an upper header l5 and a like lower header 16 fitted centrally to receive respectively the. upper pipe section; 13 and the lower pipe section 13B leading to'the furnace and known as the return pipe. It will be understood that the down pipe in this instance comprises two sections, 13 and 1313,

in vertical 'alinement and spaced apart to mount our device between them.

rigidly between the headers by suitable and lower sheet metal tube plates 20 suitably nmoistening means for this volume of air cbn the upper and lower ends of an air tight-drum consisting of ai acket' 17 preferably quadrangular horizontal cross section and held" means such as the bolts 18 connecting the corner parts of the headers. Within the drum our deviceeresembles' in some respects a vertical tube boiler comprising a series of parallel vertical water tubes 19 retained in uppers ecured as with screws 21 to the headers 15-' 16 within the jacket 17. Above the upper plate 20' the header 15 is shallow providing a space 22 normally filled with hot return water from pipe 13, said water circulating downwardly through the tubes 19 to pipe 13B and from latter back to the furnace 5 through pipe 14 (see Fig. 1).

23 designates th'eparallel, flat spaces between the tubes 19 and having free communication with the space 23A exteriorly of the tubes and within the jacket 17 Our device creates a moist air condition in the drum by means presently to be described, warm moistened air circulating out through a conductor 24 from the'upper part of the drum to the room or rooms as 7 and'8 in which are provided moistair registers 25. 7

- 26 is acold air return air pipe from said rooms and entering the drum as at 26A near its lower endand preferably on the side opposite from which outlet pipe 24 extends.

, The circulation of hot water through our device has now been fully set forth, it being readily understood that the exterior surfaces 7 of tubes 19 are made quite warm and present considerable ,warm area within the drum. The air therein would of course naturally cir culate through conductor 24 upwardly. Our

sists of a water pipe 27 fixed horizontally within the drum to one side of and transversely with relation tothe flat tubes 19 (see Fig. 3). This pipe 27 has suitable connection, as pipe 28, with asource of water under pressure, and is located in the upper part of the drum. 27A are a numberof outlets from the pipe 27, each controlled, if so desired, by a. needle .valve 27V. The outlets 27A are located and controlled to cause a fine spray of water in the spaces 23 between the tubes 19 and onto the walls thereof, the contact of the water on said warm walls of the tubes creating a vaporization which provides the needed moisture in the air circulating upwardly and out of the drum through the conductor 24. The quantity of moist air-is-of course easily regulated at 27 Vby hand, or any suitable automatic control may be used. 29 is a drain pipe extending from the lower part of the drum (shown in Figs' 1 and 2). The sprays 27A must of course be regulated so that the temperature of the air=in the upper part of the drum must be higher than at the intake 26A so as to insure proper circulation.

As a modification, the tubes 19 'm'ay be covered by fabric sleeves 30, shown in section on two of the tubes only in Fig. 3. Each sleeve should fit a tube snugly and extend throughout its entire length, the material being preferably a saturatable woven fabric. Obviously these sleeves are saturated by the sprays and the water in them gravitates toward the lower end of the device, gradually evaporating. It is further obvious that these of hot water through said device and its ducts,

a Warm air outlet from said jacket and an air intake in said jacket at a lower elevation than the outlet, woven fabric cover means for said ducts, and water spraying means mounted in said drum and adapted to spray water between and on the adjacent parts of said tubes.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

CHARLES T. KENNEDY.

CHRIS W. VANDERMARK.

sleeves retard the movement ofwater, and

create desirable moist air condition, and there will be little or no waste quantity of water to be drained at 29. Our device has now been fully disclosed together with its method of operation. We have illustrated apreferred form. No forced circulation is used, the action being simple, effective and natural circulation employed. Modifications may be embodied in various de tails and proportions of parts, etc., without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

an upii ht drum in said conductor means, a V

series 0 parallel flat water conducting tubes within said drum, said drum eomprising' alsov an outer jacket with an upper .air outlet. and a lower air intake, a conductor from said outlet for circulation of'air from said drum and meansfor said drum. v

2. In an air moistening device the combination with a hot-water conductor of a drum in said conductor means, a series of flat, parallel water tubes withip said drum, said drum comprising also an outer acket with an upper air outlet and a lower air intake, a conductor from said outlet for circulation of air from said drum and means for generating moist warm air within said drum, comprlsing a Water conductor pipe fiired in said drum in position communicative with the spaces between said flat tubes, water outlet means in said pilp; for spraying the outer surface of said tu generating moist warm air within 3. An air moistening device comprising an 

